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Slow CooKer haNdS-off CooKiNg french onion roast chicken Few dishes are as simple to make as this one—juicy roast chicken with a caramelized onion relish made right in the roasting pan. The wonderful flavor is reminiscent of French onion soup. Serve with good crusty bread. Serves 4 1 4- to 5-lb. whole chicken, giblets removed, patted dry inside and out Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 medium yellow onions 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, tarragon, or parsley (optional) Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 425°f. Salt the chicken inside and out with about 1½ Tbs. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Slice the onions in half through the root, then thinly slice crosswise. Transfer to a roasting pan, toss with 1/4 tsp. salt, and spread evenly in the pan. Put the chicken, breast side up, on the onions. roast, stirring the onions halfway through, until the meaty part of the thighs registers 165°f on an instant-read thermometer, 45 to 60 minutes, depending on size. Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. remove the onions from the roasting pan (they will range in color from light to dark brown) and toss with the herbs, if you like. carve the chicken and serve with the onions. —Stephanie Ruby Pair with: WHITE BURGUNDY Both French onion soup and roast chicken are classic with Chardonnay, the grape used in white Burgundy, so this dish will be doubly so. slow-cooker southern-style short ribs with pimiento grits Tender, meaty beef short ribs are classic coldweather comfort fare, but these—made in a slow cooker while you tend to the rest of your life—harken back to summer, thanks to their barbecue flavor. Fans of pimento cheese (as well as those who have never heard of this Southern staple) will adore the accompanying grits. Serves 4 to 6 4 lb. bone-in beef short ribs Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1½ cups barbecue sauce 1 cup unsalted beef stock ¼ cup yellow mustard 1 Tbs. mustard seeds 2 Tbs. olive oil ½ cup dry white wine 1 cup grits (not instant) 4 oz. extra-sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated (about 1 cup) 2 oz. Neufchâtel or full-fat cream cheese, cut into small pieces 1/3 cup drained, chopped pimientos 1 tsp. hot sauce, such as Cholula; more to taste ½ cup thinly sliced scallions generously season the ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. in a 6-quart slow cooker, whisk together the barbecue sauce, beef stock, mustard, and mustard seeds. Heat the oil in a 6– to 8-quart Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the ribs on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer the ribs to the slow cooker. Pour off any fat in the pot, return the pot to the heat, add the wine, and bring to a boil, scraping up any bits from the bottom, and then transfer to the slow cooker with the ribs. cover and cook until the ribs are tender, 5 to 6 hours on high or 8 to 9 hours on low. Transfer the ribs to a rimmed platter, defat the sauce, and pour enough of the sauce over the ribs to coat. keep warm until serving. meanwhile, cook the grits according to package directions. add the cheeses, pimientos, hot sauce, 1 tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper, and stir until the cheeses melt. Stir in the scallions, season to taste, and serve with the short ribs, passing additional hot sauce at the table. —Ronne Day Pair with: ZINFANDEL Just as Zin is a perfect pairing with backyard barbecued ribs, it’ll sing with this wintry, slow-cooked version of that dish. 20 fine cooking • feb/mar 2017 Photographs by Scott Phillips; food styling by ronne Day